One-Shots galore!
by tarious123
Summary: This is a place where I'll put down a few ideas I have but isn't willing to full commit into a full story. All One-Shots, with a few side story from my fics from time to time. If any one of these gets enough attention and praise, that might become an actual fic.
1. Shield Hero: Champion of Alchemy

**Heya! This little pilot here is something I thought I do whenever I have a writer's block, or have an idea but wasn't sure if I want post it completely. Just a bunch of pilots full of ideas of several fandoms I'm immersed in over the past few years, so expect some rather interesting things to come out of this one.**

**And no, not all of them are Self-Inserts.**

**This first one is for the Rising of the Shield Hero.**

* * *

**Shield Hero: Champion of Alchemy**

I wasn't sure when it happened but somehow, I have died and been reborn in this new world.

From a full-fledged man to a young kid in a matter of moments. The transition is so seamless that the moment I realised what has happened, I'm looking at the mirror of young five-years-old feminine boy with smooth black hair and a long black cat tail.

At first, I panicked, not sure what has happened and is confused over my circumstances, before the memories of the boy kicks in and revealed the world to me.

My name is Liya Price, I'm currently in the Kingdom of Melromarc in the outskirts of a small costal village that goes by the name Rurorona. I am an orphan whose parents' name are not known to me, and is raised by my grandfather, an old alchemist by the name of Hohenheim Price(A surprising fitting name for an Alchemist) who was once part of the imperial court until he got fed-up with the nobility and went into self-exile in the forest where he sired two children, one of which was my father.

My uncle, a man of the name Detify Price, is a knight of the imperial army, which causes him to get quite a lot of flak by my grandfather whenever he visits. They never see each other eye-to-eye over that, but they do care for each other a lot, even if they don't admit it out loud. He also teaches me a few self-defence skills whenever he visits, as well as a little swordsmanship from time to time.

After gaining the boy's memories, I decided to just live out his life for him, not sure why I ended up hijacking the poor kid's body and worried that I may ended up killing the kid's consciousness in the process.

A guilt that haunts me to this day.

For the next several years, I lived out my new existence the best I could. I made friends with the people of the village, who are mostly Demi-Humans, people with animalistic traits as far as I know of, and play till I am exhausted. I even help out around the house, and even studied some alchemy under the watchful eyes of my grandfather.

Turns out, I'm pretty good at it, learning how to concoct a several mid to high tier potions and medicine by the time I'm thirteen. So good in fact, that I manage to make a living selling the potions and medicine I manage to synthesis in the village. I was even suggested to making this to my actual career, which I might in the future after gaining some more experience making these.

But then, during my eighteenth birthday, disaster struck the village. I recalled that event vividly, it etched into my mind like a scar

I was just at home, hanging up the last bit of laundry when it happened. The world changes colour as the sky cracked open like broken glass, and monsters of all kinds poured out of the crack-like portal. I remember my grandfather being completely terrified and saying something about a 'Wave of Calamity'.

The monsters ignored our humble abode in the woods, but they all headed straight for Rurorona. Knowing that the village has no way to defending themselves, I ran towards it with hopes of helping them out with the evacuation.

By the time I reached the village, it is in complete disarray, with evil creatures destroying houses and massacring hundreds of villagers without any mercy.

Not sure what to do, I quickly grab anything I could use as a weapon, which is a pitch fork at the time, and went in to defend the few survivors that we can.

The 'Wave' is relentless, the monsters are dangerously vicious in their attacks. I was barely able to keep one such a monster away for a while, just enough to keep a few villagers safe before barely escaping its grasps.

But in the end, my luck ran out as I found myself surrounded by monsters of all kinds with no way of escaping.

I nearly submitted myself to the fate of getting torn to shreds by the monsters, only for my grandfather to show up and manages to save me, wielding a weapon that I later would know as the Alchemist Cross; a weapon in a shape with thorn-like spikes acting like a hilt of a sword with a metal handle wrapped untidily in leather and a spike at the tip of it.

It's an alchemic weapon that is able to change its form to whatever the user deems necessary at the moment, from staves to spears to swords to daggers, to even its default form being used by my grandfather, a long chain whip with various heads of all kinds that tear and slams into the monsters' bodies into bits.

It is with my grandfather's help in which I survive the encounter, but we were not out of danger yet, as more and more monsters are coming to slaughter us.

And with my elderly guardian's weak and exhausted body, there's no way he'll be able fight any longer.

I still didn't know what prompted me to do what I did, but I grabbed the Alchemist Cross from his hand and started fighting with it, and with surprising ease too.

I don't know why, but I was able to wield the weapon like I have experience in the weapon like no other. Everything from its forms, to its usage, to its effectiveness in its actions, everything just clicked in my head. Deux Machina or not, I can't argue that it did help me survive the 'Wave' till the end.

It is only after the end of the 'Wave' that notices the game-like UI, which removes itself once I drop the weapon.

By the time the calamity is over, I managed to slaughter at least several dozens of monsters with the weapon.

The village is in shambles, with almost a hundred villagers are dead with at least a good quarter of the survivors are either critically injured or disabled. Houses torn to shreds, while bodies littered everywhere, with most of them in complete pieces. It's a disaster zone.

I and my grandfather did our best to help heal the sick and injured the best we can, but due to our lack of actual medical experience, a lot didn't make it.

After that, I was brought back to the house and there, my grandfather finally told me something that I never knew before.

The Alchemic Cross is a weapon created by his mentor, and is finally completed by his hands. It is a weapon that is supposed to be a trump card to be used in the Wave of Calamity, a natural disaster that is said to come around every few hundred years or so, and that it is a weapon that could rivals even the Four Legendary Weapons in the situation that the Four Cardinal Heroes are unable to be summoned. Unfortunately, it has a flaw of being unable to use weapon skills that are exclusive to Heroes.

The nobility saw this as an opportunity to gain political power, for whomever wields that weapon would have a strength equivalent to an actual Hero in their grasp, and seeks to procure it for themselves. My grandfather has to fend of thieves and assassins for several weeks since its completion, and is convinced that such a weapon shouldn't be wield by anyone and took it away with him when he left the imperial court.

That is why he was so conflicted with my uncle's career choice, for his name might be enough to bring attention from the nobles to try and find my grandfather and seize the weapon.

But seeing how well I wielded the weapon, he's convinced that I might be the person his mentor has been making that weapon for and ask me to learn to fully utilized its properties to my best abilities and to gain as much levels as I can, something I did not know was a thing here, in preparation for the next Wave to come; as well as to keep the Cross out of the wrong people's hands.

Knowing full well what he meant, and witnessing the terror of the Wave first-hand, I decided to accept the duty as the Cross's wielder and train myself in time for the next wave to occur.

I was given some supplies, a map of where I would like to go to raise my levels, as well as the location of the closest Adventurer Guild(Which I'm surprise that such a cliché thing is here) to register as an Adventurer along with some money he has been able to save up over the years, and I departed my hometown of eighteen years.

That was several months ago.

* * *

I found myself wandering the mines on the outskirts of a small village called Lute, the village that I has been making my home base for the past couple of months.

It has been a few months since I left Rurorona Village to train up my levels in preparation for the next Wave, but none has prop up at all, like it's waiting for something.

My own level has reached its cap, most of it due to me encountering high level monsters quite frequently and as well as figuring out the gimmicks of the Alchemic Cross. As it turns out, the game-like UI that surfaces every time I use the weapon is more of an interface built into the Cross itself and is able navigate its various weapon-trees with branches that are unlocked by performing certain actions, with absorbing items from various monsters I came across.

In my months of travel and experimentation, I have unlocked several different weapon forms with only ten of them stood out and possess actual combat capabilities. They are:

The Thorny Chain, a chain whip with spikes on the chains itself and a long spike with several more spikes around it as its weight. Got this from absorbing the first monster I came across, a large man-eating rose plant.  
The Lizard Whip, a chain whip with a lizard head weight at the end that pummel enemies with somewhat of a homing ability. Got this from absorbing a Lizardman.  
The Medicine Leaf Dagger, a short sword that has a leaf-shaped blade with serrated edges which heals the person it cuts instead of hurting them. Got this from absorbing some medicinal grass I found scavenging the forests.  
The Volcanic Dagger, a short sword which blade looks like its molten lava. Got this from absorbing some obsidian near the base of a dormant volcano.  
The Winged Sword, a sabre in the shape of a large bird wing that has the ability to sent out sharp winds with each strike. Got this from absorbing the wings of a Griffon, a baby one to be honest.  
The Claw Chain, a chain whip with an eagle's claw as its weight that can latch on to any surface imaginable. Got this the same time I got the Winged Sword, a rare case of one item granting multiple forms.  
The Balloon Stave, a staff with a balloon-shaped ends that deals very little damage but it sends anything that hits the balloon ends flying with no effort at all. Got this from absorbing scraps of a Balloon.  
The Wooden Mallet, a large wooden mallet with little to no properties with the exception that it can smash any forms of stone easily. Got this from absorbing some scrap wood, just to test things out.  
The Crystal Rod, a short spear with a crystal-like tip with the ability to light up it spearhead. Got this from absorbing the luminescence crystal from this very cave.

They all have their unique abilities that are useful in almost all kinds of situations, which has helped me in dealing with the more difficult monsters to the higher tier ones that I have barely won. Also, just absorbing an item doesn't always guarantee a new weapon form. Like this one time which I absorb some poison and it did absolutely nothing. Guess not everything can be unlocked like that, huh?

Another thing I have found out is not about the Alchemic Cross, but about the Kingdom of Melromarc. And it is horrifying, to say to least.

This Kingdom is a pro-Human society, with the Demi-Humans being seen as lesser citizens and even animals at times to the point that slavery of them are considered legal across the country. And let me tell you this, it really pisses me off whenever I saw someone even abuses a Demi-Human slave in PUBLIC no less, and everyone else just turns their head or simply scoffs and make fun of victim, all because they have some kind of animalistic trait.

When I was made aware of that fact, I quickly hid my tail under my clothes whenever I went to the Adventurer's Guild or when I'm in the capital. It has worked so far, no one ever noticed it yet.

And speaking of the Adventurer's Guild, from the time I registered myself as an adventurer, I manages to somehow rank up to one of the few top ranked adventurers in the country. Thanks to that, I've somewhat of a reputation and is able to make myself a small fortune to support myself as I went about to gain strength and levels.

And using that fortune, I managed to equip myself in a more suitable outfit for the job.

I now don a blue-dyed tunic with a leather hood and black short sleeves under a metal breastplate, a leather belt tied around my waist where I holster the Alchemic Cross along with a small pouch that holds my potions of all kinds, a pair of dark green pants that has leather shin-guards sewed into it and metal toed boots, with a pair of leather gloves with plating on the back of the hand and finishing the look, a metal band that holds my up hair in a short ponytail. My pants even have a small hole which I opened up for my tail to slide through.

I even manages acquired a few more alchemy recipes that I have used to great effect. I may not be able to brew high level potions, but I'm able to craft potions that had and have aided me in my more peril of situations.

As such, if the Wave eventually arrive, I'll be more or less equipped for it.

But since they aren't coming anytime soon, I'm left to my own services and decided to take on a couple of requests in hopes of unlocking new forms of the Cross since I can't truly level up any higher without going to the Church of the Cardinal Heroes for a Class-Up, and I truly didn't want to go into the capital if I don't want to. The church just creeps me out with how it intense it can get portraying the 'Heroes' in such holy light.

I was never a religious person myself, in this life or the past. And with how much propaganda the damn church is preaching, I'm incline to avoid approaching such a subject without a long ten spiked spear.

On the subject of the Heroes, there has been rumours spreading of the Four Cardinal Heroes being summoned in the capital in hopes of dealing with the Wave with tales of their heroic deeds spreading like wild fire.

But the most interesting of them all is the tales about the Shield Hero. Or most specifically, the scandal behind him.

It is accepted as the truth that the 'Hero' sexually assaulted his party member in the first night, with even a trial being put into place for the crime but was unable to deliver punishment on him due to the fact that the Four Cardinal Heroes are needed for the upcoming Wave.

I never truly trust rumours, especially with how the Kingdom has a track record of putting the Shield Hero in the bad light. If you pay attention to any scriptures from the church, you can find slander and the putting down of the Shield Hero in every verse and it's piled on so thick that you can actually see the propaganda in the words.

Besides, Rurorona Village actually worshipped the Shield Hero, in direct contrast to the rest of the country. And in a society in which Demi-Humans are the lower-class? Well, let's just say the slander is painfully obvious.

Anyway, back to the mines.

I am there to subdue, which I meant kill, a wild pack of Black Two-Headed Dogs that has made its home in the excessive mine network. Any maybe find some hidden gems I could use to synthesis more battle-oriented potions. I've heard that there are some bomb-like ores still lurking in the mines that workers are lucky to not find at all. Maybe I could make use of them to whip up some good ol' fashion TNT potion.

Having something that can blow something up in your pocket can't hurt anyone.

But so far… I haven't encountered a single one of them.

"This is odd…" I muttered to myself as enter deeper into the cave systems, "The request did say that there are sightings of Two-Headed Dogs around here, but…"

When I made it out of the stone corridor in a large open area that most likely is where there once was a mineral vein here where huge amount of luminescence crystals luminate the place in a pale green light, I am greeted by growls as a bunch of the twin-headed canines surrounded me, waiting with anticipation. They even managed to go behind me and block my two only exits out of this place.

"Ah." I realised as my hand slides over to my weapon, "That's why."

One of them let out a bark and they all launch towards me with every intention of tearing me from limp to limp.

Unfortunately for them, I have no intention of letting that just happen.

In one swift move, I draw out the Alchemic Cross and form changes it to the Claw Chain, and then swinging it upwards into the ceiling, sending the claw-shaped weight flying up and grasping on the rocky roof. I then leaped upwards, using the weapon to pull myself upwards to avoid the roaring canines coming towards me.

The pack of dogs nearly crash into each other before they all turn and starts to roar and bites at me, who is holding onto the chain and dangling high enough that they can't jump on me.

"One, two, three…" I counted the biting dogs beneath me, "Ten? Wow, there's a lot of you guys."

One of them then has the smarts to hold its ground as its comrade runs and leaps off him, gaining enough height to at least bite my leg off. I quickly swing myself upwards, avoiding the dogs just barely as I hang ala spiderman style on the chain. "Oh, ho. Clever girl."

They then start growling and barking at me, seemingly goading me to get down and face them. Yeah, sure. I'll answer that.

I change my weapon's form once more, this time is the Thorny Chain as I spun around in the air, sending the chain along with the thorny weight spinning around me. That form, for a brief moment, a thorny circle of death around me which tears into the couple of dogs there were under me and is unable to avoid my attack in time.

"That's two." Landing on the ground with a soft thud, I then swing my weapon and send the weight flying and stabbing it through one of the black dogs before pulling it back towards me. I then proceed to spun the dog into his comrade was coming up from behind me, sending the two of them crashing against the rocky wall. "Four."

I spun the chain whip to clear away any leftover blood on the weapon before changing it into the Lizard Whip, which I then twist my body in a momentum to send the homing blunt meteor hammer flying and smashing through another's connected necks, hitting and cracking its spine in the process. I then swung my weapon, sending the weight smashing through the canine's skull. "Five."

Another dog ran up to me with every intention of biting my head of; I simply switch it to the Crystal Rod and lights up the crystal tip, blinding the dog for a moment as I stab the spear right through its heart. "Six." I then jerk backwards, stabbing right into the heart of another dog behind me that nearly bit my head off by how close one of its jaws is to biting on my neck, "Seven."

I pull out the spear as I changes it into the Winged Sword, I grip the sabre tightly before swinging a few times and sending several sharp winds flying, one slicing right through another dog, its body slowly split down the middle and collapsed into two perfect halves, "Eight." while another decapitated the two heads of the accursed canine. "Nine."

I change it back into Thorny Chain and then sends the thorn-filled chains swinging, ripping and tearing into the last dog without mercy, "And that's ten." I spun my weapon in my hand as it changes back into its default state, the indication of EXP gain is shown for a brief moment on my UI. "Well, that about wrap things up." I crouch next one of the dead dog's corpse, before picking up one of the bloody pieces of dead dog with a grimace. "Man, there has to be a less disgusting way of doing this…"

Dropping the piece of dog corpse into the Cross, I let the weapon absorb it and within a moment, the UI shows the weapon tree opening up a new branch, with three new weapon forms. The Orthus Stave, the Orthus Mace, and the Twin-Head Whip. I'll check those out later.

Some shuffling can be heard, and I then notices one of the dogs, one that I thought to have died from getting crushed back its own comrade, getting up and scrambling away into the cave tunnels, "Shit!" I quickly ran after it, trying my best to follow sounds of its trotting paws. Crap, if I don't get rid of them all, it might find and bring back a whole new pack! I can't let that happen!

The sounds of its trot are slowly fading away, as I ended up in a cross-junction point, with three different possible paths. Hearing for the dog's footsteps is pointless as it is only echoing all over with no real direction to go.

"Damn it. Where is…?"

"AAAHHHHH!"

"What in the-CRAP!"

I quickly ran towards the source of that scream, already fearing for whoever is the owner of that scream. Not good, not good at all!

I then ran into another large open area, this one looks like the ground has caved in under an underground river, where the same Two-Headed Dog is biting against a lone man who has his shield up against one of the dog's mouths while its other head is biting down on his shoulder. Oh boy, not good!

"Hang on!" Quickly changing the Cross into the Lizard Whip, I swung it as hard as I could and sends the homing weight right at the biting head, smashing into the back of the neck. And at that exact same time, a young Demi-Human girl leap out from behind him and stabs into the head with a short sword.

The beast roars out in pain before slamming into the girl aside, sending her tumbling onto the ground. Seeing its assailant down, the Two-Headed Dog lunges at her with last remaining jaw wide open. "Crap! I won't make it!"

"Air Strike Shield!"

The man from before suddenly calls out, and an astral-looking shield appears right in front of the girl, blocking and halting the canine's attack. Seeing my chance to attack, I quickly change the Lizard Whip into the Thorny Chain and sends the spiky chain spiralling towards the dog, stabbing and going through its head in a bloody spray of gore.

With the dog truly dead, I pull the chain back and spin it around to get rid of the blood before changing it back into the Cross and holstering it. I didn't see any EXP showing up, meaning that I didn't land the killing blow. Must be the kid, then. She sure has guts.

"You guys alright?" I asked them, the man from before nodded in response as I let out a small nervous chuckle, "Sorry about the dog. I was supposed to kill a pack of them that made their home here and one escaped."

"You better." He huffed angrily, "How could make a mistake like that?"

"Hey, hey, I said I was sorry!"

"Master Naofumi!"

The girl then suddenly ran into the man, she starting to sob into his chest. I've noticed a slave crest on her chest, meaning she is his slave, so to speak. Although, the way he saved her like that, not to mention she came out from behind him. Is he protecting her? That's very unusual for an owner to do so.

"So, who are you?" I asked him. He turns his head away from me, completely ignores me all together. That just ticks me off, "Hey, it's polite to answer when asked."

"Isn't it customary to give your name first before asking for others?" He stated angrily. What got his pants tied up in a twist?

I let out a sigh before introducing myself, "I'm Liya. Now, your turn."

"…Naofumi."

"Naofumi…" That name doesn't sound local to the kingdom, unless there's a variant of Japan in this world. "What are you doing here in these mines?"

"That's none of your concern." He growls, before flinching a little. Oh right, his shoulder wound.

"Come on, let's get you out of here." I tells him as I walk up to him, "Can you stand?"

"Yeah, just give me a second." He then shakes the girl, "Raphtalia, come on. Let go. We got to move now."

The girl, Raptalia, shook her head and clutches tightly, "Just a little longer…"

He let out a sigh, "Guess I'm not moving."

"Yeah, I can see that." I chuckle at the display. If weren't for the slave crest, I would think they are brother and sister, or father and daughter would be more precise, "Well, at least heal yourself." I took a bottle from my pouch and hand it to him, "Here, a healing potion."

He looks at the bottle with raised eyebrows, just I took a sit next to him, "What are you–?"

"There's no way I'm leaving you guys, not when you guys have no way to defend yourselves."

"…Whatever."

"Yeah, whatever." I parroted with a grin as he drinks the healing potion. Now that I took a good look at him, he doesn't look like he is from this kingdom at all. The dark hair, light skin, all of them attributes to most Japanese people. Not to mention… This is raising some serious red flags. I then notice something rather odd about his attire, and that's not due to lack of any real protection.

"Hey, where's your weapon?"

"Huh?"

"Your weapon!" I asked again. If he has just lost it in the cave, I would buy it. But there isn't any sheathes on his body anywhere. "Don't tell me you only have that shield…!?"

"…Don't need it."

"Are you suicidal!? How are you intend on fighting with just a shield!? Of course, you can. But it is highly ineffective on its own!"

"That's none of your business."

"Like hell it isn't! You have just a shield! What, you trying to imitate that so-called Shield 'Demon'?"

"Demon?"

"Yeah." I scoffed at the idea, "People has been calling him that these days, the Shield Hero I mean. With all those bad rumours surrounding that guy, you'll think that he's actually a monster."

"…"

"I just find it stupid." He turns to me with wide eyes as I continued, "Rumours are just rumours, and I tend to judge people as I see them for myself. Besides, calling someone a demon just because of a few gossips? That's just dumb."

"You… don't believe the rumours?" He asked.

"I never trust rumours as an accurate description of a person." I explained, "They are mostly exaggerated to the point of sheer ridiculousness."

"…"

"…Hey, just a question." I asked, "You're the actual Shield Hero, are you?" He flinched, confirming my deduction, "I knew it. No one is THAT stupid to go any monster infested place with just a shield. Not to mention what you did to protect that girl. That's not magic, so it can only be a weapon skill. And only Heroes can use that."

"And so? What about it?" He asked angrily. Damn, no wonder he such a prissy prick. I would be if the world shitted on me like that.

"…You are nothing like the rumours say you are." I stated, "Well, except for the whole rapist thing. Just to be clear, you didn't actually–"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" He suddenly screams in anger to my shock, "It was a set-up, by that damn bitch… She set me up, and the King just used that chance to make my situation as horrible as he can… And no one… not even the other Heroes believed me…"

I look at him, and knew what I'm looking at. I was an attorney in my past life, and I have seen the same thing with clients that was told that they have no chance of winning. The same look of despair and hopelessness. If he is showing such despair, then he must be telling the truth. He is set up, by the victim no less.

"Well, I believe you." I tell him, he looks at me in surprise and shock, "You don't look like the rapist kind of person."

"L-Liya…"

"And you did save her, did you?" I pointed at the girl still in his arms, "You protected her with your life. By all accounts, that means that you are a Hero in my books."

Naofumi looks at me with shock, before tears start dripping off the edge of his eyes. I open up my hands and let his head falls on my shoulder as he starts to sob as well. How long has he been enduring all of this? All that humiliation, all because he is the Shield Hero.

Feeling the wetness on my shoulder, I made up my mind.

* * *

"You okay?" I asked the Shield Hero. He nodded in response.

After Naofumi has cried all his tears dry, and Raphtalia, who definitely heard the whole thing, decided to let go of her master and try to comfort him the best she could, we exited the mines. By the time we made it outside, the sun has starting to set into dusk already. We must have been in there for a very long time.

Once we are out, I decided to act.

"Naofumi." I turn to him, "You can't actually fight on your own, right? You can only rely of Raphtalia to gain EXP."

"Yeah, I can't." He stated venomously, "I can't use anything besides this damn shield."

"Well, I have a suggestion." I chuckle, "Why don't we party up?"

"Huh!?"

"Just think about it! The other three Heroes must have levelled up way more than you have right now, especially when they have the backing of the crown." I explain, "They has been at least twice your level at this point."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well! I just happened to be one of the higher levelled adventurers in the country!" I stated with a grin, "Which means I would be able to help you level up a lot faster than you are right now. Of course, we'll still have to keep to the lower-levelled areas to help Raphtalia get used to fighting."

"Are you serious?" He asked me, "If you party up with me, you would be exposed to the same shit as me!"

"Your point being?"

"What about your reputation? You'll be throwing that all away if you go through with this!"

"…It would still happen regardless." I tell him as I slip my tail out of my pants to show him. By his flinch, I can tell he is shocked by the revelation, "As you can see, my reputation would still plummet if this is known to everyone. So, might as well show throw it away in my own terms."

"Liya…"

"So, would you have me? Because I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

"…" He chuckles a little before sighing, "Alright, you win. But I must warn you. Being on a party with me is pretty harsh."

"Eh, I have partied worst." I stated with a laugh as I raises my hand, "Looking forward to working with you."

"Hm, likewise." He took my hand and we shared a firm handshake, solidifying our partnership.


	2. Danmachi: The Myth of the Reincarnators

**Here the next one! And in celebration of Danmachi getting a season 2, here's a fic on it!**

**Danmachi: The Myth of the Reincarnators**

* * *

It is a stormy night in Orario, the Labyrinth City, home of Adventurers and Gods. The night skies are covered in thick grey clouds as rain poured down from the heavens above, drenching anyone that was unlucky enough to be without shelter.

And running down the streets in town, is one unlucky adventurer, one that goes by the name of Bell Cranel.

A white-haired boy in his early teens with red eyes, clear signs of albino, his clothing that consists of a brown coat over a black long-sleeved shirt and black pants with a pair leather boots to match drenched in the pouring rain. A lone dagger sits on the back of his waist along with a leather backpack that holds his earnings for the day.

"Ah, what bad luck." He mutters as he ran as fast as he could, "To think it would rain today…"

After a few turns, he made it to his destination. A worn-down church on the outskirts of town that is his home in this massive city. It's not the most glamorous place to live, but it is home nonetheless. Home to his Familia, the Hestia Familia.

Even though he calls it a Familia, it's only just him and his goddess, Hestia.

About a week ago, he came to this city in response to his grandfather last words, with dreams of becoming a hero and maybe meeting his destined girl. Sadly, that didn't pan out well for him as no Familia is willingly to pick up some random kid from the country, and he keeps getting rejected by every Familia that he hopes to enter.

When he thought that he would never become what his grandfather has wanted him to be, the goddess Hestia appears before him and accepts him into her own, and thus the Hestia Familia is born.

Due to being a newly formed Familia, life was tough for the both of them. To make ends meet, his goddess has picked up a part-time job at a potato snack stall. And due to his new Level One status, he could barely make much money off of the magic stones he has obtained from adventuring in the Dungeon under Orario.

Even so, he is happy with his new life as an Adventurer, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Bell opens the door to the church, where the familiar sight of broken-down benches filled him with relief. Thankfully, the roof is somewhat in one piece which shelters them all from the rain.

"Ah, I'm completely drenched…" He sighs, shaking his wet hair as he made his way towards the door that leads to the basement which is the only viable living space in the church.

But when he walks closer, he notices something odd.

Behind the podium, lies a person unconscious on the rotting wooden floor, a female judging from her figure.

"A woman…?" He walks onto the platform, taking care to move past the holes as he took a closer look at the person. It is a young woman, an elf if those pointy years states otherwise. But despite being an elf, her skin is dark, almost like an amazon. She has short silver hair that shows her nape. Over her is a large tattered blanket that covers most of her entire body except for her head.

"What's a woman doing here?" His eyes wander about, before noticing a lone leather backpack of similar design to his placed next to her. 'Is that her valuables?'

He slowly got close to her, shaking her slightly in hopes of waking her up, "U-Um… excuse me…? Wake up…?"

The woman flinched from his touch before slowly opening her eyes, revealing beautiful blue eyes. She glanced about, seemingly confused as her pupils wander about, "Where… am I…?"

"Oh, this is the home of Hestia Familia." He explains to her.

"Familia…?"

She slowly sat up, the blanket falling off her to reveal that she isn't wearing anything under it, which freaks Bell out as he covers his eyes with cheeks flushed and took several steps back, "W-Where are your clothes!?"

"Clothes…?" She looked down at herself, slowly blinking her eyes a little as she stares at her own body. She then slowly moves her hands up and gropes her own breasts, "This… I have…"

"S-Sorry for looking!" Bell cries out, still covering his eyes, "I didn't see anything! I promise, I didn't see anything!"

The door to basement then opens, as the goddess Hestia peeks out. She has long black hair that she tied into twin tails by a bell ornament in a white 'dress' that barely covering her hips with blue string tied under her massive breasts for her small stature. "Bell-kun? Why are you shouting?" She then took notice of the naked woman sitting near the podium, and her eyes widen in shock.

"Bell-kun… who is she…?" She gritted out, her fingers attempting to sink into the wooden door.

"A-Ah, Goddess! T-This is j-just…!"

"How could you do this to me, Bell-kun!?" She cried out running to him and pulling his cheeks harshly, "How could you cheat on me!?"

"G-Goddess, please calm down!"

"You already have me, and yet you are laying hands on another woman!?"

"I-It's not like that at all! I just found her here!"

"Then why is she NAKED!?"

"I found her like this!"

"U-Um…" The woman from before could only look in both confusion and shock, "Is something the matter…?"

"Shut up, you sly fox!" Hestia shouted out as she grasps Bell by his arm, pressing her massive assets into the appendage, "I'll have you know, Bell-kun is mine!"

"G-Goddess, please…"

"Goddess…?"

"And who are you, anyway!?" She asked angrily, "Why are you stealing Bell-kun from me!?"

"Me? I'm…" She blinked for a moment, before grasping her head as her pupils shrink in what can only be described as horror, "What… is my name…?"

"Huh?"

"I… Who am I…? Why can't I remember anything!?" She cries out, "Who am I!? What am I!? What is this place!? What's going on!?"

"A-Ah, c-calm down!" Bell calls out, "Do you not remember your own name?"

"NO!" She screams, "I can't remember anything at all! My mind is completely blank!"

"Memory loss?" Hestia stated in shock as she watches the elf woman held her head trembling while muttering something under her breath every once in a while.

"…Goddess…" Bell turns to her, with a glint in his eyes that she knows so well.

"…Yeah." She nodded as she walks up and reaches out to the trembling elf, "Please, come into our home. It's small, but it's a lot warmer than out here."

"…Hm…" The elf nodded, taking the offered hand.

* * *

At the same time, in another Familia's home base, something similar is taking place.

"So, you don't know how you ended up in our courtyard?" The head of the one of the strongest Familia in all of Orario, the goddess Loki asked her uninvited guest. She has red hair with small narrow eyes that looks like they are always closed with pretty non-flattering figure.

Sitting on the couch in her office facing her is someone that she found unconscious in the heavy rain, in the nude no less, currently wide awake and wrapped in a warm blanket with a warm cup of tea in her hands.

A young Pallum girl, as no girl of her age and stature would boast a rather well-developed body with the exception of a certain goddess that she did not wish to think about in this situation, with long black hair with a few locks of purple in her front bangs. Her eyes are in the shade of garnet, pupils darting about in confusion.

"Hm." She nodded.

"Not only that, you have no memories of being a Pallum at all."

"Not to my knowledge." She concluded, "My memories are a little fuzzy, but I'm pretty certain that I am a human."

"…This has god's mischief written all over it…"

The Goddess of Mischief isn't unfamiliar with stuff like these, for such acts has happened many times before in the distant past before Orario's founding. Heck, Zeus and Hera is probably the most notable amongst the gods, their bickering is more often the cause of such incident in the Lower World.

"Do you at least remember what happened before waking up here?" She asks the Pallum girl.

"Not much…" She explains, "I remember boarding a plane with some friends of mine… then there was turbulence… after that is a blank…"

"Plane?" The foreign word boggles the goddess's mind. Never has she heard of such a word before, but the way the girl has said it made it sounds like some kind of a transportation of sorts.

"Yeah, you know, plane." The Pallum carries on, stretching her arms out to her side as if mimicking a gliding bird, "Plane. Don't tell me you don't know what a plane is."

"…So, it's a bird that you ride on?"

"Huh? No! How can you not know what's a plane is!?"

"Never heard of such a thing."

"Never heard of such a thing…!? What kind of…!?" The girl muttered before looking around, "Just to clarify, where are we right now? What country I am in?"

"Hm? Oh, we're in Orario." The goddess replied.

"Orario…? What's that, a new European country?"

"Oh, no. It's the Labyrinth City."

"Labyrinth?"

"It's due to the Dungeon under the Tower of Babel." Loki explains, "It's a huge underground labyrinth filled with monsters of all dangerous sizes and forms. Also, what's 'European'?"

"…Never heard of Europe… in a foreign country that has a place called the Tower of Babel… Oh god, if I'm right about this, then I'm either truly fucked, going to have the best time of my life… or I've gone completely insane and is hallucinating everything…"

"You okay?" The Goddess of Mischief asked the muttering Pallum girl in worry, "You are muttering up a storm there…"

"No, no. I'm fine!" She tells her, but her darting eyes and sweating pale face states the opposite, "Just that I might be in an alternate fantasy dimension like some Isekai protagonist and is about to go on adventure of a lifetime, or I'm going to end up a fucking chew toy from everyone else!"

"…O…kay…?" Loki blinked in complete confusion, "Can I at least know your name?"

"Huh? Oh! Oh, r-right…! That's proper manners…" The Pallum clears her throat a little, "Name's Samerson Tauros. Call me Sam."

* * *

In an alleyway about a minute prior…

The pub named the Hostess of Fertility is having a bit of a slow night due to the heavy winds and pouring rain. Not much people are willing to hang out at a pub when they are stay at home nice and cozy and away from the storm. Why get soaked just a cup of amazing fruit wine?

As such, the only ones that are eating here are mostly Adventurers who came in before the storm kicks in, or hardcore fans of a certain waitress.

And that certain waitress is currently at the back dealing with some waste products that need removing.

Syr Flova, a young human girl with beautiful homely features and bluish grey hair tied in a small knot like a ponytail of sorts with eyes of the same color, opens the door into the alleyway behind the pub carrying two large bags of trash that she drops into the designated baskets.

As she did so, she notices someone lying on the ground next to it.

A young girl, a Hume Bunny with the brownish-red ears atop her shoulder-length hair of similar shade, that looks at least in her early-teens is lying on the gravel-laid ground completely unconscious with nothing but a worn blanket covering her body, that has completely soaked through.

"O-Oh my!" She quickly runs up to her, ignoring the rain soaking into her clothes as she kneeled down next to her, "Miss, are you alright!? Please, wake up!" She shook the girl, but to no avail.

Not only that, when she touches her skin, she can feel cold clammy skin stick to her hands; and that not also mentioning how pale her lips are. "Oh dear! Oh dear, dearie dear!"

"Is something the matter, Syr?" The founder and owner of the pub, a dwarf lady with brown hair and eyes that is rather large for her race that goes by the name Mia Grand, walks out into the alleyway after hearing her worker.

"Ah! Mama! This girl, she's…!"

"W-What in the…!? Get her inside, quickly! Anya, warm up a tub of water and get some clean towels!"

"Y-Yes, Mama!"

* * *

Myths, legends, stories that are passed down from generations to generations, inspiring millions of people who read its pages.

Its stories are often those of great heroes who accomplishes the impossible, slay the monster of the story, and gets the princess. Of brave adventurers who wander into the unknown, discovering lands and creatures never seen and heard before. Of proud knights who give their all to protect their nation, with loyalty to their monarch unrivalled by no one.

Such are the stories passed down into legends.

And now, a new legend is about to begin.

One of the adventurous spirits, of friendship, of comradery, of loyalty, of love, and of acceptance.

For these future heroes of legends are about to embark on a grand adventure like no other, one that could only be described as Fantastical.

This, the Myth of the Reincarnators.


End file.
